Praying to Saints Question

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Pilgrim101

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One items that has perplexed me is that I’ve heard over and over on Catholic radio and reading Catholic blogs & tracts about how Mary is the greatest saint and that we must merely ask and she will answer our prayers (as long as they align with God’s will).
If she is the greatest saint, then when they pray to other saints, do those saints then pray to Mary since she is the greatest? For that matter why not pray directly to Mary all the time?
 
The Body of Christ is a family of many people with many personalities, some we have much in common with, and others we don’t.

It is like that with the saints. I have a devotion to our Blessed Mother, and I also seek out my friends the saints to ask them to intercede for me. If someone chooses to just ask our Blessed Mother for intercession that is fine.

I also ask my friends who are alive right now on this earth to pray for me for certain blessings.

How wonderful that we have such a varied family, both living and gone to the next world to pray for us.
 
You can but this is the way I see it although it sounds childish. I go to St. Anne a lot because she’s Jesus’ grandmother. She’s close to Jesus. He’s her grandson. 👍
 
starryheart said:
You can but this is the way I see it although it sounds childish. I go to St. Anne a lot because she’s Jesus’ grandmother. She’s close to Jesus. He’s her grandson. 👍
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Grandma- a child’s ultimate trump card.😃 For us that would be the Holy Mother (we are called the children of God).
 
You seem to be pitting saints against one another. No such competition exists in heaven. Mary’s prayers are most efficacious because she lived a life perfectly in line with God’s will. There are levels of glory in heaven, but saints are competing.
 
Saints all pray to God, even Mary, so I don’t think it makes a difference which one you have a particular affinity to. God will work His will; It is not about pulling connections to get Him indebted to fulfilling your wishes.

The Marian devotion is a modern phenomena because she addresses those issues of our time. In other eras, Moses, David, and Augustine addressed the culture’s struggles best.
 
Methinks different Saint’s have different gifts. I go to St. Dymphna for those afflicted with Neurosis.

By going to different St.s we get to know the Saint. The Saint gets to exercise a gift from God. We get to know the Community of God, so to speak.🙂

🤷 But what do I know.
 
Nimzovik said:
Methinks different Saint’s have different gifts. I go to St. Dymphna for those afflicted with Neurosis.

By going to different St.s we get to know the Saint. The Saint gets to exercise a gift from God. We get to know the Community of God, so to speak.🙂

🤷 But what do I know.
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I like what you wrote…“We get to know the Community of God, so to speak.” That is a great way to put it.
 
=Pilgrim101;9717409]One items that has perplexed me is that I’ve heard over and over on Catholic radio and reading Catholic blogs & tracts about how Mary is the greatest saint and that we must merely ask and she will answer our prayers (as long as they align with God’s will).
If she is the greatest saint, then when they pray to other saints, do those saints then pray to Mary since she is the greatest? For that matter why not pray directly to Mary all the time?
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GREAT QUESTION:thumbsup:

First we must realize and accept that praying “to” [REALLY THROUGH them to our God] Mary and the Saints while GREAT advise in NOT mandated.🙂

Second the answer to your question is “Personal choice” for “personal reasons”

For example I pray to Saint Patrick and Saint Joseph because they are my first and middle name.

Some choose a Saint base on nationally, or a act thay they are Know for or “the Patron Saint OF” this or that. IT’s preference and persoanl:)

God Bless,
Pat /PJM
 
Mary does have great power because of her role in salvation given to her by God. She sits at the right hand of her son Jesus in heaven and is queen of heaven and of earth. She definitely has great weight before the throne of God.

Then why pray to the other saints? I can only answer for myself. I pray to them because I know something about their life, what they did, and admire them, and have learned something of their loving approach to God. And in my admiration, I spontaneiously begin to talk to them about the things that are in my life and ask help for what I see going on around me. A prayer to them just sort of happens. It is more of a conversation and then a request of them to pray for me is some special sort of way since they seem to have handled their situations well.

At other times there are special days the church honors them in the Mass and asks for their special help.

On other occasions there is a litany of saints, or a list of great saints, that is prayed on occasions by the church or by anyone that they ask God for assistance for us.

Here is one list, there are others.

The Risen Christ, be our hope
Name of Jesus, strengthen us
Blood of Jesus, purify us
Body of Jesus, feed us
Heart of Jesus, forgive us
Heart of Mary, remember us

…RESPONSE: pray for us
Our Lady of Fatima
Our Lady of Lourdes
Our Lady of the Rosary
Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Our Lady of Guadalupe
Our Lady of Grace

ST Joseph
ST Ann
ST Elizabeth
ST John the Baptist
ST Mary Magdelene

ST Bernadette
ST Catherine Laboure
ST Margaret Mary
ST Bridget
ST Faustina
ST Theresa Little Flower
ST Theresa of Avila
ST Catherine of Siena
ST Joan of Arc
ST Maria Garretti
Blessed mother Theresa

Blessed John the 23rd
Venerable Pious the 12th
ST Isaac Jocques
ST Francis
ST Anthony
ST Benedict
ST Bernard
ST Dominic
ST Patrick
ST Valentine
ST Nicholas
ST Vincent DePauw
ST Augustine
All you holy men and women in heaven

Archangel Rapheal, heal us
Archangel Gabriel, enliighten us
Archangel Michael, protect us
Guardian angels, help us
Angel of Fatima, bring us peace
All you choirs of angels, pray with us

ST Peter, pray for us
ST Paul
ST John
ST James
ST Andrew
ST Jude(Thaddeus)
ST Mathew
ST Bartholomew
ST Phillip
ST Thomas
ST James
ST Simon

All before the throne of God in heaven, in your compassion help us.
 
Dorothy said:
The Body of Christ is a family of many people with many personalities, some we have much in common with, and others we don’t.

It is like that with the saints. I have a devotion to our Blessed Mother, and I also seek out my friends the saints to ask them to intercede for me. If someone chooses to just ask our Blessed Mother for intercession that is fine.

I also ask my friends who are alive right now on this earth to pray for me for certain blessings.

How wonderful that we have such a varied family, both living and gone to the next world to pray for us.
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How do you know who is asleep and who’s soul is with the Lord?
Can a soul “hear” without a body? i.e.if the saints haven’t been resurrected and haven’t been bodily assumed into “heaven” then how would they able to “hear”?

If we believe in the resurrection of the dead, then why would the saints want to be resurrected at all if they are already with the Lord and have powers that they wouldn’t have with a body?
 
fred_conty said:
Mary does have great power because of her role in salvation given to her by God. She sits at the right hand of her son Jesus in heaven and is queen of heaven and of earth. She definitely has great weight before the throne of God.
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What do you mean by she has “great power” and “great weight”?
 
There seems to be a sense that God will especially hear the prayers of the Saints and tend to gran there prayers more than ours – at least that is what i am understanding is this correct?
 
Pilgrim101 said:
How do you know who is asleep and who’s soul is with the Lord?
Can a soul “hear” without a body? i.e.if the saints haven’t been resurrected and haven’t been bodily assumed into “heaven” then how would they able to “hear”?

If we believe in the resurrection of the dead, then why would the saints want to be resurrected at all if they are already with the Lord and have powers that they wouldn’t have with a body?
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If they have been officially canonized by the Church we know their soul is with the Lord.

Nothing at all is impossible with God. Of course they can “hear” with the help of God. God gives them the knowledge they need and they “hear” with their spirit.

Yes, the souls of the saints are already with the Lord, but they await their bodily resurrection so they then will be complete. Man is made of body and soul. We are not like the angels who do not have a material body.

Who ever said they would not have powers in their resurrected body? The saved will have glorified bodies, like the Lord, and with body and soul have God-given powers.
 
Pilgrim101 said:
How do you know who is asleep and who’s soul is with the Lord?

The CC takes great pains to investigate and ascertain prior to canonizing a saint. There is a rigourous process in place.
Can a soul “hear” without a body? i.e.if the saints haven’t been resurrected and haven’t been bodily assumed into “heaven” then how would they able to “hear”?
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Jesus says to pray to the Father:
Matthew 6:6
But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, **and pray to your Father ** in secret.
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in V.8 Jesus says:
Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
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Further in Matt 21 v.22
" Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive.”
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So God knows what we need BEFORE we even ask. And He says He will answer our prayers. If we believe that God won’t hear our prayers unless someone else asks for us – isn’t that putting MORE faith in the saints than in God?
 
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